eyned, why shulde it here after be suffred that suche
tormentrie and cruelte shulde be shewed unto theym? O God! whiche art most
mercifulle and highest juge, soverein, and just, how maist thow long suffre
this regnyng without the {74} stroke of vengeaunce and ponisshement commyng
upon the depryvyng or yelding up of that dukedom?

[Sidenote: Nota tria.]

[Sidenote: Prima.]

[Sidenote: .ij^{a}.]

[Sidenote: .iij. causa.]

[Sidenote: Conciderandum est super omnia.]

Late it be noted and construed what gret inconvenientis have folow herof.
There may be undrestonde to folow .iij. thingis inespecialle of gret
hurtis. One is the ire of God and his rod of vengeaunce fallen now upon us
by his dyvyne punisshement [of God,[169]] aswelle in suffring oure saide
adversaries to have the overhande upon us, as in destroieng of oure lordis
by sodeyn fortunes [of dyvysyons[169]] in this lande the saide yere and
season, the yere of Crist .M^liiij^cl. that youre [grete[169]] adversarie
made his intrusion in the saide Normandy, for pite of his peple so
oppressid, hiring theire clamours and cries and theire curses. The second
is theire rebellion, as thoroughe theire wanhope, havyng no trust of hastie
socoure and relief of an armee to come in tyme covenable, be turned awaie
frome her ligeaunce and obedience to youre adverse partie, seeing theym
thus ungoodelie entretid under tho whiche were comytted to kepe, defende,
and maynteyn them. The .iij^{de}. is famyn of vitaile and penurie of money,
and lak of provision of artillerie and stuffe of ordenaunce, whiche youre
saide obeissauntis for faute of these were constreined to flee to youre
adverse partie, and to leve rathir theire natife contree, orellis to die
for famyn and povertee.

[Sidenote: Ecclesia honoranda.]

[Sidenote: Nota bene.]

[Sidenote: Hospitalitas in ecclesia est preferranda.]

[Sidenote: Lamentacio.]

[Sidenote: Cogita.]

An exortacion how princes, lordes, and officers roialle shulde worship and
meynteyne the Chirche, and defende hem from oppression.

And moreover in way of gret pitee and in the worship of God suffre ye not
the prelates of the Chirche of that lande, as archebisshoppis, bisshoppis,
abbatis, priours, denes, archedenes, and theire ministrours, to be
oppressid, revaled, ne vileyned, as they have bene in youre predecessour
daies accepted in fulle litille reverence or {75} obedience, for how that
men usurpen in tho daies in surchargeyng them unduelie it